Pelicans split with Salem, recapture first in division

Both Charcer Burks and Bryant Flete homered and Jeremy Null turned in six innings of one-run ball to lead the Myrtle Beach Pelicans back into first place with a 3-1 Sunday win over the Salem Red Sox at LewisGale Field.

With the score tied at one in the third, Yasiel Balaguert singled before Flete homered to right, putting Myrtle Beach (56-51, 20-17) on top 3-1. It was Flete’s fifth career home run, with each dinger coming in July of this season.

The Birds struck almost instantly when Burks homered off Salem (62-43, 19-17) starter Anyelo Leclerc (2-1) to begin the ballgame, putting the Pelicans up 1-0.

Null (3-4) gave up three straight singles to begin the bottom of the first, loading the bases with nobody out. However, the right-hander whiffed the next two before walking in a run to knot the score.

Null scattered just two hits and one walk the rest of the way in his six innings of work for his first quality start in six outings. All told, he yielded one run on six hits, whiffing three against two walks.

Craig Brooks retired all four batters he faced before Ryan McNeil came in with one out in the eighth inning. The right-hander matched a career-high with five strikeouts en route to his league-leading 17th save. No one else in the circuit has more than 10.

Following their series split in Salem, Myrtle Beach heads to Frederick to begin a three-game series Monday at 7 p.m.